NARRATIVE ESSAY

THE TIME OF MY LIFE

                I am now studying in PETRONAS University of Technology (UTP) as a Petroleum Engineering student. I got a place here in UTP using my SPM Trials result with Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) scholarship. I registered on 17^th January 2012 for the January Intake in UTP. Along the way, I have met a lot of new friends and gained a lot of experiences. In a blink of an eye, it had been almost three months we have been studying here. We are now in March, the most important month in our lives. We were going to get our SPM results. I still remember exactly how I felt and what I experienced in time to get the SPM slip.

            It was the third week of March, where rumours spread among us, the SPM leavers. The SPM result will be announced in that week. Some said it would be on the 22^nd but some said it would be on the 21^st. Everywhere I went, either café, in class or even in the toilet, people kept talking about the SPM results. I knew, everyone’s hearts were beating, faster than usual.

            On Saturday night, the date of the real SPM result would be announced was on the news. It was confirmed to be on the 21^st, which was on Wednesday. All SPM 2011 candidates in UTP were nervous. Me and my friends quickly bought tickets to go back home on Tuesday and the line was long. Everyone decided to go back on Tuesday. Some even had to skip classes. We thought everything was good but another problem occurred. Will the management of UTP give us a break on Thursday and Friday?

            People were talking, and everyone decide to skip classes on those two days. Luckily, the management gave us a break on Thursday but not on Friday. This was a hot news in Facebook. January ’12 batch united and thought of the way how to get a holiday on Friday. We decided to make a memorandum where each of us signed to get a break on Friday. Guess what, it worked.

            On Monday night, I packed all my things to go back home the next day. My heart pounded and I could not sleep on that night. Same goes to most of us SPM leavers. The next day, me and my friends went to the ETS Station to go back home. In the station, there were a lot of people and when the train came, people rushed in. I put my bags and sat on my seat. It was a two-hour journey. Along the way, I thought about what was going to happen tomorrow, the day of the result to be announced. What if I did not get straight A’s? What if my results were disappointing? The thought scared me. I decided to calm myself and looked around. In my coach, all seats were occupied by my batch. I smiled and thought of my old friends back in Tun Ghafar Baba MARA Junior Science College (TGB MJSC), how I missed them badly. 

            I arrived at KL Central around 6.30 p.m. My dad was there waited for me. I ran to him and hugged him. I missed my family. We went home straight away. At home, everyone was excited and nervous at the same time. I got phone calls from my family and friends, each were saying about the big day. All my family members told me, no need to worry, they know that I could get straight A’s for my result. I was very afraid and nervous, what if tomorrow everything turn upside down? I was scared that I would crush their hopes into pieces. That night, I did not sleep well.

            The next morning, mom woke me up at 6.30 a.m. I went to shower straight away and performed my Subuh prayer. I felt a little calmer but still nervous. Exactly at 7.00 a.m. we shoved off to TGB MJSC. My phone did not stop ringing. Along the way, I texted my best friend, from another school, but he is also studying in UTP. We were nervous but by texting we felt a little bit relaxed. I fell asleep in the car, too scared to stay awake. Suddenly, I heard a voice “Dira, wake up.” I opened my eye lids and in a blink of an eye, there I was, in front of the big gate of TGB MJSC. I arrived at 9.00 a.m. I felt very excited to see my friends. I called them and asked them to wait in front of Dewan Bendahara. I quickly got out from the car and ran to my friends. We shouted and were jumping in joy when we saw each other. It had been three months since last I saw them. All eyes were at us, they knew we were so closed back in school.

            The results were not going to be announced until 11 a.m. That was why my friends Halima, Asyiqin and Amira,  and I, decided to go to the staff room to meet our teachers. In the staff room, we met most of our teachers who taught us back then. They were nervous like we did because my batch was targeted to get number one in Malaysia. Suddenly, our favourite Chemistry teacher, Pn. Ruzana came in the staff room jumping and shouting excitedly. She said that our batch is number one in the whole MJSC ranking. We jumped along as it was the happiest thing that we’ve heard.

            After a while wondering in the staff room, we went back down to Dewan Bendahara as the results were going to be announced in any minute. I went in the Dewan Bendahara to see the surrounding. Parents were there, waited patiently. Students were there, with faces as white as ghost. “Arghhh!” Someone screamed. It was Ali Hakim, he took his result already. The whole hall went quiet. For a moment, he said, “I got one B+” and people went havoc. It was too noisy in the hall that I could not hear anything.

            I quickly went out the hall to my mom and dad. I knew it was time to face what would be my results after 11 years of studying. I called my first friend in TGB MJSC, Asyiqin. She knew that we had to take it that moment. I looked at my parents and they smiled. We went in the hall. Asyiqin went to take it first and she got straight A’s. I was happy for her but in the same time I was very nervous. It was my turn. My mom and dad were there, I went to the table to take my result.

            My heart was pounding out loud. I felt like I was going to faint. The teacher asked me my name. After I told her, her fingers quickly flipped through the SPM slip and stopped. She took out the slip. I closed my eyes, ready to face anything that would happen. “You have to treat me after this, Nadhirah”, the teacher said. I looked at her, and she smiled. “Congratulations. You got straight A’s”, she added. Tears were rolling down my cheek. It was the time of my life. I quickly went to my parents and hugged them. I saw my dad’s face, proud of me. I saw my mom cried with tears of happiness. Then, I knew, I had make them proud.